S.P.A.R.C. and the Economy

His comments on preserving and repairing
existing assets coincide with a plan that has already been implemented by the
city of Alexandria’s administration, the $96 million SPARC plan — Special
Planned Activity Redevelopment Corridors. Rypkema referred to the far-reaching
development project as Alexandria’s stimulus plan. He was briefed on SPARC by
members of the city administration….

For the most part, Rypkema believes the city of
Alexandria is headed in the right direction. He said SPARC meets a few specific
goals, including long-term public gain and the focus on areas that warrant
re-investment….

The strategy is right, Rypkema said of the
city’s push to re-engage forgotten infrastructure, such as buildings, sidewalks
and roads.”Donovan Rypkema, Comments to Town Talk,
April 30, 2009.

The S.P.A.R.C. initiative is of course an
economic development package as well.

“Alexandria is in a strong position to make this
investment, with no new taxes despite the current economic conditions.
Across the nation, cities that invest in their inner cores are cities that
succeed, are better able to attract and retain a modern workforce, and can best
combat poverty, unemployment, and blight.

“The best way to ensure future success is to
invest right now. The money is budgeted and available, now, for ready
projects involving transportation and hard infrastructure support to major
transportation improvements. The City seeks matching to go along with the
substantial commitments from the City.

“To maintain that stability, particularly during
this time of economic uncertainty, our community must be efficient and
responsive, and truly create stimulus opportunities. Infrastructure reinvestment
is nearly always appropriate spending because it invests in our future,
augmenting capacity.

“It is the community’s ability to handle
increasing economic activity—from a trained workforce, to drainage, to the
ability of public safety to provide adequate protection and services—that the
City focuses on with SPARC.”

Jacques Roy,
April 2009

SPARC addresses areas that have been neglected:
roadways need attention and severed passages need to be reconnected. Forty years of sprawl development in Alexandria
have created enormous opportunity for some, though, at the same time, it has
drained significant resources and attention away from Alexandria’s historic
neighborhoods and inner city. SPARC is no “give away”; it is reinvestment in
business and capital improvements. SPARC is about sustainability over time, not
fixes on the cheap. SPARC addresses our
problems in three ways: targeting help to identified areas where change has the
greatest impact (CRA corridors 1-3), providing those areas with new or enhanced
transportation improvements, and offering unique incentives to business
entrepreneurs.

For those concerned about S.P.A.R.C.
infrastructure spending during troubling economic times, this form of
“capital-only” spending—according to leading experts—is
rarely inappropriate and almost always job friendly: because it is
for infrastructure or building blocks for private growth. Also, for those citizens who have inquired
about capital spending—as in “why build parks, walking trails or spray pads
when there is so much constraint on sales taxes and thus operational spending
(like grass cutting and debris removal)?”—remember, S.P.A.R.C. and capital
outlay spending are, by law, funds that cannot be used for operations.

Interestingly enough, a City can be measured by
how well and quickly it moves its capital spending and conversely how frugal it
is with its operations budget. We have
moved more capital projects in a shorter period of time, of a larger nature,
than in previous times. It is measurable
and quantifiable. This Administration
stays under budget operationally, but moves capital dollars, the hallmark of
successful municipal planning and management of fiscal affairs. And, when the economy booms again, the
infrastructure spending and targeted community investment will pay off with
huge returns. This investment in the
trough will allow Alexandria to enjoy the crest. It is evidence-based and represents a studied,
disciplined approach. It is not
“program” spending, but instead spending to enhance the delivery
of necessary and basic services.

His comments on preserving and repairing
existing assets coincide with a plan that has already been implemented by the
city of Alexandria’s administration, the $96 million SPARC plan — Special
Planned Activity Redevelopment Corridors. Rypkema referred to the far-reaching
development project as Alexandria’s stimulus plan. He was briefed on SPARC by
members of the city administration….

For the most part, Rypkema believes the city of
Alexandria is headed in the right direction. He said SPARC meets a few specific
goals, including long-term public gain and the focus on areas that warrant
re-investment….

The strategy is right, Rypkema said of the
city’s push to re-engage forgotten infrastructure, such as buildings, sidewalks
and roads.”Donovan Rypkema, Comments to Town Talk,
April 30, 2009.

The S.P.A.R.C. initiative is of course an
economic development package as well.

“Alexandria is in a strong position to make this
investment, with no new taxes despite the current economic conditions.
Across the nation, cities that invest in their inner cores are cities that
succeed, are better able to attract and retain a modern workforce, and can best
combat poverty, unemployment, and blight.

“The best way to ensure future success is to
invest right now. The money is budgeted and available, now, for ready
projects involving transportation and hard infrastructure support to major
transportation improvements. The City seeks matching to go along with the
substantial commitments from the City.

“To maintain that stability, particularly during
this time of economic uncertainty, our community must be efficient and
responsive, and truly create stimulus opportunities. Infrastructure reinvestment
is nearly always appropriate spending because it invests in our future,
augmenting capacity.

“It is the community’s ability to handle
increasing economic activity—from a trained workforce, to drainage, to the
ability of public safety to provide adequate protection and services—that the
City focuses on with SPARC.”

Jacques Roy,
April 2009

SPARC addresses areas that have been neglected:
roadways need attention and severed passages need to be reconnected. Forty years of sprawl development in Alexandria
have created enormous opportunity for some, though, at the same time, it has
drained significant resources and attention away from Alexandria’s historic
neighborhoods and inner city. SPARC is no “give away”; it is reinvestment in
business and capital improvements. SPARC is about sustainability over time, not
fixes on the cheap. SPARC addresses our
problems in three ways: targeting help to identified areas where change has the
greatest impact (CRA corridors 1-3), providing those areas with new or enhanced
transportation improvements, and offering unique incentives to business
entrepreneurs.

For those concerned about S.P.A.R.C.
infrastructure spending during troubling economic times, this form of
“capital-only” spending—according to leading experts—is
rarely inappropriate and almost always job friendly: because it is
for infrastructure or building blocks for private growth. Also, for those citizens who have inquired
about capital spending—as in “why build parks, walking trails or spray pads
when there is so much constraint on sales taxes and thus operational spending
(like grass cutting and debris removal)?”—remember, S.P.A.R.C. and capital
outlay spending are, by law, funds that cannot be used for operations.

Interestingly enough, a City can be measured by
how well and quickly it moves its capital spending and conversely how frugal it
is with its operations budget. We have
moved more capital projects in a shorter period of time, of a larger nature,
than in previous times. It is measurable
and quantifiable. This Administration
stays under budget operationally, but moves capital dollars, the hallmark of
successful municipal planning and management of fiscal affairs. And, when the economy booms again, the
infrastructure spending and targeted community investment will pay off with
huge returns. This investment in the
trough will allow Alexandria to enjoy the crest. It is evidence-based and represents a studied,
disciplined approach. It is not
“program” spending, but instead spending to enhance the delivery
of necessary and basic services.